Copyright Arkansas Online
BENTONVILLE -- The Bentonville Farmers Market closed its outdoor season this year by generating more than $3 million in total sales, a new record. Dana Schlagenhaft, executive director of Downtown Bentonville Inc., a nonprofit that organizes events and supports businesses downtown, said via email the organization is still gathering final sales numbers from the last few outings. The outdoor market runs from the second Saturday in April through the final Saturday in October every year. Schlagenhaft said she's proud of Downtown Bentonville Inc.'s team and the work that went into keeping the Farmers Market strong this season on the ground and behind the scenes. "Our entire team is thankful to our vendors for navigating so much change and adjusting with grace, and to our shoppers who showed up in the sunshine and in the rain to help us reach this milestone," she said. "Supporting our local food system is incredibly important -- it strengthens our community, sustains our farmers and keeps healthy, local food accessible to everyone." The area around the city square -- where the Farmers Market is held -- has seen multiple construction projects this year, including the A Street Promenade element of the city's ongoing Quilt of Parks project, which the city substantially completed Oct. 2. Dylan Taylor, market manager, said in a Downtown Bentonville Inc. news release topping $3 million in sales is a huge achievement for both the teams responsible for the market and the local farmers and makers who are seeing record sales. "Hitting this milestone really shows how far our region has come and how deeply our community values what the market stands for," he said. Schlagenhaft said the outdoor Bentonville Farmers Market generated more than $1.1 million in total sales in 2021. Sales grew from there, reaching about $1.2 million in 2022, $2.1 million in 2023 and $2.9 million in 2024. The 2025 market averaged 108 full-time and part-time vendors, she said. Candace Hankins, who co-owns DSRV Chocolates in Lowell with her husband Tommy Hankins, said their business has been a vendor at the Bentonville Farmers Market for four seasons, starting part-time before transitioning to full-time two years ago. Hankins said the market is one of her and her husband's biggest revenue-generating events of the year. She noted it provides them exposure by allowing them to meet people and reach out to new customers on a weekly basis. "This year was definitely unique just with the construction challenges that are ongoing on the square, but the Downtown Bentonville team does a great job of communicating those things, and also working around all of that to make sure that us vendors still have good exposure and the customers have access to the market too," she said. Grant Wise, who has owned and operated the Rogers Farmers Market with his wife Brijett and their two children since last year, said via Facebook Messenger sales for the Rogers market increased 295% over last year. The market was held on Saturdays from April 19 to Oct. 25. Wise attributed the market's success to multiple factors. He said more people have learned about the market and like shopping in its unique location -- Uptown Rogers -- after he and his family relocated the market there. They also create unique events every week and advertise the events "aggressively" to bring people to the market, which they work hard to keep focused on food. "We want 80% of our vendors to be food or wellness-based in some way, which is what our customers continuously ask for," he said. More than 125 vendors applied to join the market this year, according to Wise. He said 65 vendors ultimately sold at the market. Schlagenhaft said the Bentonville Farmers Market will kick off its indoor season Saturday at the Record at 104 S.W. A St. The market will be held there every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon through March 21.
